Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets

Fragaria vesca

Edible: Fruit, Leaves - tea

A small plant which keeps growing from year to year. It grows to 20 cm high and spreads to 30 cm wide. The stems are long runners which form roots at the nodes. The leaves have 3 leaflets and are bright green. The leaflets are oval and with coarse teeth around the edge. They are 6 cm long and arranged in rings on long leaf stalks. The flowers are small white and open. They have 5 petals. The fruit are oval and fleshy. They are white and turn red (or white) as they ripen. They are sweet. A strawberry with small leaves and fruit and the seeds are on the outside of the fruit.

It is a temperate plant. It grows in the highlands in the tropics. It grows from 1600 m up to 3550 m in the tropics. They do poorly in hot humid climates. It becomes naturalised in high mountain regions in Papua New Guinea. It needs well drained soils and a protected sunny position. They are drought and frost tender. They enjoy acid soil. It suits hardiness zones 5-9. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Common Names: Ameibuji, Bhui aselu, Bhuikaphal, Buti, Czerwone, Dag cilegi, Dau-tay, Divlja jagoda, Dreza, Erdei, Fodi eper, Fresa silvestre, Fragola, Fragula, Frutilla, Getnamori, Gorska yagoda, Jagoda sumska, Lulestrydhe, Maasikas, Maduixera, Maiore, Mandzoi, Mark-jordbaer, Marts'qvi, Maizi, Metsmaasikas, Meza zemenes, Navadni jagodnjak, Pahari rashberi, Paziemkos, Sa-mrep, Strawberi hutan, Wilde aardbei, Xia jiu, Yabani cilek, Zemlianika

Synonyms: 

Fragaria insularis Rydb.;
Fragaria monophylla Duchesne;
Fragaria vesca var. monophylla (Duchesne) Ser.;
Potentilla vesca (L.) Scop.;
See Fragaria nubicola;

Garcinia cowa

Edible: Fruit, Leaves, Spice, Seeds

A tree. It grows 8-12 m tall. The trunk can be 30-50 cm across. The trunk is straight but usually with many knots. The crown is oval and the leaves are dark green. The small branches are often 4 sided. The leaves are narrowly sword shaped and 7-12 cm long by 3-5 cm wide. The flowers are yellow and 1 cm across. Male and female flowers are separate. The fruit is rounded with 4-8 segments. It is 3-4 cm across. There are 6-10 seeds with a layer around them.

A tropical plant. It grows in humid mixed forests on hills or in valleys from 100 m altitude but mostly between 400-900 and occasionally to 1300 m in southern China. In XTBG Yunnan.

Common Names: 

Aghatsa, Bak moong, Ban suntala, Cha muang, Chamuang, Chengkek, Cowa-Mangosteen, Cowphal, Dengadote, Gava, Gehahao, Guo da, Guyei, Haibung, Huang xin shu, Kagyi, Kao, Kao-gola, Kaphal, Kau thekera, Kau, Kauba, Kauthekera, Kaw, Ke diu biu, Kemenjing, Kouthekera, Kujitherekera, Maksommong, Pala-kye, Phak moong, Phelamesong, Pohon manggis kemenjing, Pradang, Rengran, Sommong, Tai chua, Taika, Taung-thale, Tromeng, Tromoung, Ye-kabyin, Yi ka bu duo si, Yun shu

Synonyms: 

Cambogia crassifolia Blanco;
Garcinia cornea Roxb. ex Sm.;
Garcinia roxburghii Wight;
Garcinia wallichii Choisy;
Oxycarpus gangetica Buchanan-Hamilton;
Stalagmitis cowa G. Don;
Stalagmitis kydiana G. Don;

Gigantochloa balui

Edible: Shoots

A bamboo. It forms dense tufts. The stems bend slightly outwards. They are 12 m long and 3-8 cm across. The internodes are 40 cm long.

It is a tropical plant. It is best in rich alluvial soils.

Common Names: Balui, Bambu taris, Buluh abe, Phai ba lui

Glebionis coronaria

Edible: Leaves, Stems, Flowers, Seeds, Vegetable

An annual herb eaten at the seedling stage when it is not more than 20 cm high. It has many branches and grows 2 m tall. Leaves are succulent with a light silvery tinge and broadly serrated edges. There are a range of variations in leaf size and shape. They can be toothed or deeply indented. The flowers are golden. They are produced in large numbers. There are several cultivated varieties.

There have been some attempts to preserve the name Chrysanthemum coronarium

A Mediterranean climate plant. It can grow in dry soils. It can grow in arid places.

Common Names: Babrisak, Bagaur, Basum, Busbas, Cay cuc, Chamanti, Chandramallika, Chopsuey greens, Crown daisy, Ciuri di cacamaiu, Dallama, Garland chrysanthemum, Gul-chini, Guldaudi, Gulechini, Gulesvati, Japanese greens, Khee kwai, Kikuna, Kra djaja, Mojino amarillo, Ong hao, Phak tang o, Phakkhikhwai, Rjel djaja, Saruni walanda, Seoti, Shamantippu, Shevanti, Shevantika, Shungiku, Sookgat, Ssukka, Sungiku, Tango, Tang-Oh, Tong Hao, Tong-Mo, Tongho, Tung ho, Tursiphal, Zaenil

Synonyms: 

Buphthalmum oleraceum Lour.;
Chamaemelum coronarium (L.) E. H. L. Krause;
Chrysanthemum breviradiatum Hort. ex DC.;
Chrysanthemum coronarium L.;
Chrysanthemum coronarium var. concolor Batt.;
Chrysanthemum coronarium subsp. coronarium;
Chrysanthemum coronarium var. coronarium;
Chrysanthemum coronarium var. discolor d'Urv.;
Chrysanthemum coronarium subsp. discolor (d’Urv.) Rech.f.;
Chrysanthemum coronarium var. spatiosum Bailey;
Chrysanthemum coronarium var. subdiscolor Maire;
Chrysanthemum coronatum Dum.Cours. [Illegitimate];
Chrysanthemum merinoanum Pau;
Chrysanthemum roxburghii Desf. ex Cass.;
Chrysanthemum senecioides Dunal ex DC.;
Chrysanthemum spatiosum (L.H.Bailey) L. H. Bailey;
Chrysanthemum speciosum Brouss. ex Pers.;
Dendranthema coronarium (L.) M. R. Almeida;
Glebionis coronaria (L.) Tzvelev;
Glebionis coronaria var. coronaria;
Glebionis coronaria var. discolor (d'Urv.) Turland;
Glebionis roxburghii (Desf. ex Cass.) Tzvelev [Illegitimate];
Matricaria coronaria (L.) Desr.;
Pinardia coronaria (L.) Less.;
Pinardia roxburghii (Desf. ex Cass.) Less.;
Pyrethrum indicum Roxb.;
Pyrethrum roxburghii Desf.;
Xanthophthalmum coronarium (L.) P. D. Sell;
Xanthophthalmum coronarium (L.) Trehane ex Cullen;

Chrysanthemum segatum;
Glebionis coronaria (L.) Tzvelev;
Tanacetum coronarium; ?
 

Glinus lotoides

Edible: Shoots, Leaves, Vegetable

A herb. It lays along the ground. The stem are hairy. They are 10-40 cm long. There are many branches. The leaves at the base are in a ring. These dry off. The higher leaves are 6-24 mm long by 5-15 mm wide. Several flowers occur in a group. The fruit are capsules which have 5 valves. There are many chestnut brown seeds. They are kidney shaped.

A tropical plant. They grow in open sands and riversides and waste places from sea level to 500 m altitude in China. It is often in muddy areas along watercourses and wetlands. It grows between 600-1,440 m above sea level in Africa. In Argentina it grows below 100 m above sea level.

Common Names: Bhissata, Duserasag, Gandibudi, Gandibuti, Gholo okhrad, Kotrak, Meetho okhrad, Meterrie, Myet-pan, Okharadi, Porprang, Sirooseroopadi, Xing su cao\

Synonyms: 

Mollugo hirta Thunb.;
Mollugo lotoides (L.) O.Kuntze;

Glinus oppositifolius

Edible: Leaves, Shoots, Vegetable, Flowers

An annual herb. This is a small thin spreading plant. It grows 10-60 cm tall. It is smooth skinned and branched and grows each year from seed. The leaves are opposite each other and 1 to 3 cm long. Sometimes the leaves are in circles. It flowers throughout the year. Flowers develop around the nodes. There are 4-6 flowers together. They are 6-12 mm long. They are greenish-white. They have a long flower stalk. The fruit is a capsule which is oval. It has 5 valves. There are many seeds. These are kidney shaped. They are 0.5 mm long.

It is a tropical plant. It grows in open waste places. It often grows on land which is occasionally flooded. It grows on tidal flats. It grows in damp shady places. It grows in wetlands. It grows between 40-780 m above sea levels.

Common Names: Bakkate, Chadarasi gida, Chandarasisoppu, Chang geng xing su cao, Chayun-tarashiaku, Dang khem, Dima shak, Gandhi buuti, Ganga, Ganga-la-acho, Geema shak, Gemashak, Ghima, Gima, Gimasak, Gimma, Grishma-sundaraka, Harha ara, Jala-papr, Jeem shaak, Jharasi, Jima, Jin-ga, Kachantarai, Kadubhaji, Kaipacheera, Kaipajira, Karvo okhrad, Kayata bhaji, Lonika, Pampantra, Parpata, Parpatka, Phak kaen khom, Phak khuang, Phanija, Pitangama, Pitasaga, Rau dang dat, Rumput tapak burung, Sadaodin, Teeta shak, Thura poondu, Toorael lay, Ushnasundara

Synonyms: 

Glinus cambessedesii Fenzl;
Glinus denticulatus (Guill.) & Perr.) Fenzl;
Glinus mollugo Fenzl.;
Glinus spergula (L.) Steud.;
Mollugo oppositifolia L.;
Mollugo spergula L.;
and others

Gnetum gnemon

Edible: Leaves, Fruit, Flowers, Seeds, Nuts, Vegetable

A shrub or small tree about 10 m high. It can grow to 20 m high. It normally has a cone shaped crown. The bark is greyish brown. The small branches are slender and like a vine. The leaves are produced in pairs opposite each other. They are dark green and shiny, oval and pointed at both ends. The leaves are 7.5-12.5 cm long by 2.5-7.5 cm wide. Trees are either male or female. Male spikes are 3-6 cm long. They consist of 50-80 very small flowers in rings along the stalk. Flowers are produced as cones made up of rings of scales along stalks 3-6 or 12 cm long. There are 5-8 flowers at each node. Fruits are oval and green when young but red when ripe. Fruit are 2-3 cm long and contain one seed.

A tropical plant. It suits the lowland tropics. Trees occur in tropical rainforest from sea level to about 1200 metres altitude. It does best with rainfalls of 3000-5000 mm per year. It is best with an annual temperature of 22-30°C. It needs a temperature above 13°C. These trees grow in Malaysia, Indonesia and islands out to Fiji. They can grow on a range of soils but do best on deep well drained soils. It grows well in acid soils. It can grow in full sun but also tolerate shade. It cannot tolerate salt spray. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Common Names: Ambiam, Annel, Asisang, Bago, Bagor, Bagu, Banago, Belingar, Belingo, Belinjau, Belinjo, Dae fasia, Dae malefo, Dae, Daefasia, Daemalefo, Daun dodah, Daun melinjo, Daun sabong, Eso, Gam cay bet, Gnemo, Guan zhuang mai ma teng, Hagenamu, Hanthu, Hawa, Houka, Hyinbyin, Hyingyin, Kegalu, Kekoso, Keigi, Khlow, Ki tangkil, Kopaiyo, Kusalu, Lenge, Leqe, Liang, Lota badam, Maninjau, Melindjo, Melinjau, Meninjau, Mhalivo, Molingu, Nyia nwasoli, Pee sae, Peesae, Pelh, Phak kariang, Phak miang, Phalap ri, Poke, Rangkil sake, Sa naroka, Sabong, Sake, Sejunteh, Shangpan,Sikau, So, Sokak, Suagafa, Suga, Sukau, Tanyin-ywe, Trangkil, Two leaf, Voe Khlaet, Wanso, Wansu, Wasu, Xian zhou mai ma teng, Yabare

Synonyms: 

Gnemon domestica Rumph.;
Gnemon silvestris Rumph.;
Gnetum acutatum Miq.;
Gnetum brunonianum Griff.;
Gnetum gnemon var. domesticum MGF;
Gnetum gnemon var. laurinum Blume;
Gnetum gnemon var. lucidum Blume;
Gnetum gnemon var. majusculum Blume;
Gnetum gnemon var. ovalifolium (Poir.) Blume;
Gnetum gnemon var. stipitatum MGF;
Gnetum gnemon var. sylvestris Parl.;
Gnetum gnemon var. volubile MGF;
Gnetum griffithii Parl.;
Gnetum ovalifolium Poir.;
Gnetum silvestris Brongn.;
Gnetum vinosum Elmer;

Gomphrena globosa

Edible: Leaves, Vegetable

An upright bushy annual herb. Plants grow 30-60 cm high and spread to 30 cm across. Plants can lay over and root along the nodes. The leaves are oval and 15 cm long. They grow in pairs along the stem. They are covered with dense white hairs when young. The flower heads are oval and 3.5 cm long. They can be pink, red, purple or white flower bracts.

It grows throughout the tropics. They can be damaged by frost. They need a well drained soil and full sunlight. The soil needs to be moderately fertile. Seed need a temperature above 15-18°C. In Papua New Guinea is occurs from sea level to about 600 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 7-11.

Common Names: Ablajtiin, Bachelor’s Buttons, Bachnhat, Didimangu, Idjoso, Idose, Lehua mau loa, Makhamali, Ma-nyo-lon-pan, Mseche, No-ngay, Oblocvetna gomfrena, Pahwis, Qian re hong, Staan vaste, Te motiti, Thousand Days red, Tocoroho

Gossypium barbadense

Edible: Seeds, Leaves, Oil

A shrub which keeps growing from year to year. Often it is grown as an annual. It is 1-3 m high. The stems are purplish. The leaves have 3-5 lobes. The flowers are at the ends of branches. They are yellow but change to reddish purple. They are surrounded by a bract which has 3 toothed lobes. The seeds are small and oval. The seeds have large amounts of lint.

A tropical and subtropical plant. In China it is grown in frost free areas below 800 m altitude. It suits seasonally moist and dry climates. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan.

Common Names: Algodon, Fai-tet, Hai dao mian, Hasy, Kidney cotton, Nu-wah, Peruvain cotton, Pima cotton, Te baubau

Synonyms: 

Gossypium peruvianum Cav.;
Gossypium vitifolium Lam.;
Gossypium brasiliense Mac.;
Gossypium microcarpum Tod.;
Gossypium maritinum Tod.;

Graptophyllum pictum

Edible: Leaves, Flowers - tea

An evergreen shrub 2-3 m high. The leaves are up to 15 cm long and 6 cm wide and coloured. They can be green, silver, yellow or red. The leaves have markings like writing on them. The leaves occur opposite one another. The edges of the leaves can be irregular and wavy. The leaf stalk is 2-4 cm long. The flowers are reddish purple in clusters on the tops of plants. The flower clusters are 8 cm long and the flowers have an inflated throat. The lip of the flower is dark red. The fruit is a capsule which is often beaked. It is 3-4 cm long. There can be up to 4 seeds.

A tropical plant. It grows naturally in the New Guinea region. It mostly occurs in coastal areas below 800 m altitude. It grows in sago swamps. They need a temperature above 13°C. The green form often grows naturally in forests on coral. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In XTBG Yunnan.

Common Names: Badem, Bai tawng, Bai-ngoen-bai-thawng, Bai-ngun, Benalu, Daun ungu, Demung, Graptofilo, Handeleum, Igomor, Jamaican croton, Kalaadulsa, Kroton kamaika, Mamelegue, Mandara, Maradong-puti, Ngoc diep, Ponge gune, Puding, Tulak, Tulak kembang ungu, White adulsa, Wungu, Ysjudemaram

Synonyms: 

Justicia picta L;
Graptophyllum hortense Nees;